Dual nozzle intranasal delivery device

ABSTRACT

A dual nozzle intranasal delivery device has a housing with a cavity for the reception of a container having a pierceable stopper and having a first passage communicating with said cavity. A hollow needle secured in the passage extends into the cavity and is adapted to penetrate the stopper of the container. A pair of substantially parallel spray nozzles communicate with a second passage in the housing. A turret member is rotatably mounted in the housing and has a passage adapted to communicate alternatively with the first and second passages and having an opening for the reception of a syringe nozzle. Through the use of the turret a syringe can be placed in communication with the container and then, by rotating the turret, placed in communication with the second passage to provide for taking liquid from the container and delivering it through the nozzles.

Baum

[451 Apr. 1, 1975 1 DUAL NOZZLE INTRANASAL DELIVERY DEVICE [75]Inventor: Ronald Baum, Merion, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Smithkline Corporation,

Philadelphia, Pa.

[22] Filed: May 28, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 473,373

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet 1 Assistant Examiner-Henry J. ReclaAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Smith, Harding, Earley & Folimer [5 7] ABSTRACTA dual nozzle intranasal delivery device has a housing with a cavity forthe reception of a container having a pierceable stopper and having afirst passage communicating with said cavity. A hollow needle secured inthe passage extends into the cavity and is adapted to penetrate thestopper of the container. A pair of substantially parallel spray nozzlescommunicate with a second passage in the housing. A turret member isrotatably mounted in the housing and has a passage adapted tocommunicate alternatively with the first and second passages and havingan opening for the reception of a syringe nozzle. Through the use of theturret a syringe can be placed in communication with the container andthen, by rotating the turret, placed in communication with the secondpassage to provide for taking liquid from the container and deliveringit through the nozzles.

2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FI'XTENTEU APR 7 1975 DUAL NOZZLE INTRANASALDELIVERY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to employ a pairof adjacent spray nozzles communicating with a conduit which is adaptedto be connected to a syringe to deliver vaccine such as a flu vaccine ora measles vaccine in about equal doses to each nostril. While thisoperation is simple and effective, it still leaves the patient with adifficult problem in getting the dosage in liquid form into the syringe.This is particularly the case where the biological to be employed islyophilized. In accordance with this invention a lyophilized medicamentcan be placed in solution in a syringe under sterile conditions withgreat ease by an unskilled patient.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A dual nozzle intranasal delivery devicehas a housing with a cavity for the reception ofa container having apierceable stopper and having a first passage communicating with saidcavity. A hollow needle secured in the passage extends into the cavityand is adapted to penetrate the stopper of the container. A pair ofsubstantially parallel spray nozzles communicate with a second passagein the housing. A turret member is rotatably mounted in the housing andhas a passage adapted to communicate alternatively with the first andsecond passages and having an opening for the reception of a syringenozzle. Through the use of the turret a syringe can be placed incommunication with the container and then, by rotating the turret,placed in communication with the second passage to provide for takingliquid from the container and delivering it through the nozzles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of anintranasal delivery device in accordance with the invention togetherwith a container and a syringe;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the intranasal device of FIG. 1showing a container and a syringe positioned to communicate with thecontainer;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the intranasal device of FIG. 1partially broken away and showing a syringe positioned to dischargeliquid through the nozzles;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the intranasal device of FIG. 1 with asyringe positioned for the discharge of liquid through the nozzles; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. Iand showing a syringe positioned for the discharge of liquid through thenozzles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An intranasal delivery device 2 has a body 4 formedfrom two mirror image portions 6 and 8 which are secured together byscrews indicated at 10. The body 4 has a cavity 12 which is adapted toreceive a container 14 having a pierceable stopper 16 of rubber or thelike. Stopper 16 is held in position by a metal cap 18. Container 14 iswell known in the art.

A passage 22 is in communication with cavity 12. Secured by a pressedfit in cavity 22 is a hollow needle 24, which has a sharp chamfered end25, extends into cavity 12 and is adapted to pierce the pierceablestopper 16 as shown in FIG. 2. I

A cylindrical turret member 26 is rotatably mounted in a partialcylindrical opening 28 in body 4 which extends for somewhat more than180 in order to lock in the turret member 26. Turret member 26 has apassage 30 which has an enlarged portion 32 and which is adapted tocommunicate with passage 22 and is connected to a tapered opening 34which is adapted to receive a tapered nozzle 36 of a syringe 38.

Turret member 26 can be rotated clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2 to placeit in communication with a passage 42 in body 4. Passage 42 communicateswith a pair of substantially parallel nozzles 44 and 46 which haverespectively reduced discharge passages 48 and 50. Nozzles 44 and 46 arespaced so as to permit the nozzles to be simultaneously introduced intothe patients nostrils.

A sector stop member 60 is secured to the exterior of turret member 26,for example by an adhesive, and engages body 4 to limit the rotation ofturret 26 so as to communicate with passage 24 in one position and withpassage 42 in its alternate position of maximum rotation.

Syringe 38 has a rubber stopper 64 to close off nozzle 36 and a plunger66 to cause liquid to flow in and out of syringe 38.

OPERATION Assuming that a lyophilized biological such as a lyophilizedmedicament tablet 70 is in container 14, container I4 is inserted intocavity 12 and thrust home causing needle 24 to pierce pierceable stopper16 as shown in FIG. 2. A syringe 38 containing a reconstituting liquidwill have its cover 64 removed with nozzle 36 pointing up and nozzle 36inserted into opening 34. With passage 30 lined up'with passage 22,plunger 66 is advanced to cause liquid to move out of syringe 38 throughpassage 30, passage 22 and needle 24 into container 14. When the tablet70' has gone into solution, the plunger 66 is retracted to withdraw thesolution from container 14 into syringe 38. The syringe 38 then is movedto cause the turret member 26 to rotate so that passage 30 is incommunication with passage 42. Nozzles 44 and 46 are placed by the userin his nostrils. Again, plunger 66 is advanced to cause the discharge offluid from syringe 38 into passage 42 and thence into the patients nosethrough nozzles 44 and 46.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is illustrative andis not limiting.

I claim:

1. A dual nozzle intranasal delivery device comprising:

a housing,

said housing having a cavity for the reception of a container having apierceable stopper and a first passage communicating with said cavity,

a hollow needle secured in said passage and extending into the cavity,said needle being adapted to penetrate the stopper of said container,

a pair of adjacent nozzles having substantially parallel axes a secondpassage in said housing communicating with said no'zzles,

a cylindrical opening in said housing,

each of said passages communicating with said opening.

a turret member mounted in said cylindrical opening and having a passageof which one end alternatively communicates with the first and secondpas- 3 4 sages and the other end'is provided with an opening 2. A devicein accordance with claim 1 having stop for the reception of a syringenozzle whereby a symeans to limit the rotation of the turret tofacilitate the ringe can be placed in communication with the alignmentof the passage in the turret with the first and container and then byrotation of the turret placed second passages. in communication with thesecond passage. 5

1. A dual nozzle intranasal delivery device comprising: a housing, saidhousing having a cavity for the reception of a container having apierceable stopper and a first passage communicating with said cavity, ahollow needle secured in said passage and extending into the cavity,said needle being adapted to penetrate the stopper of said container, apair of adjacent nozzles having substantially parallel axes a secondpassage in said housing communicating with said nozzles, a cylindricalopening in said housing, each of said passages communicating with saidopening. a turret member mounted in said cylindrical opening and havinga passage of which one end alternatively communicates with the first andsecond passages and the other end is provided with an opening for thereception of a syringe nozzle whereby a syringe can be placed incommunication with the container and then by rotation of the turretplaced in communication with the second passage.
 2. A device inaccordance with claim 1 having stop means to limit the rotation of theturret to facilitate the alignment of the passage in the turret with thefirst and second passages.